“We opened “to support the community and to support all music groups,” mentor Sue Caldwell-Cruickshank said. “Our focus really is to bring the community together, musicians, bands. We’re filling a niche not filled in town.”

Caldwell-Cruickshank said she wants to start with supporting Kalmiopsis Elementary. She said she wants to network with organizations in town to make sure that music is available to the elementary school students.

“Our primary goal is working with the grade school,” Caldwell-Cruickshank said. “We don’t want to see music die out in this town.”

Caldwell-Cruickshank is mentoring her son so that he can take over the business on his own.

“It’s actually pretty rewarding because we get to be together,” she said. “He teaches me the music side, and I teach him the business side.”

The duo opened the store because Caldwell really loves music, and the opportunity to purchase the business became available, Caldwell-Cruickshank said.

“There wasn’t really any good music stores in town,” Caldwell said of why he opened.

His goal is to “hopefully stay in business, and to bring music to this town and keep it in this town,” he said. “To keep it local.”

When asked about business, Caldwell-Cruickshank said they made rent and paid the bills last month.

“Let’s just say that it’s been positive,” she said.

One day, Caldwell-Cruickshank said she would like to have a picture of every band in the community up on the wall.

“We do want to be able to support the bands in the community,” she said.

Former teacher, Ted Erdahl, sparked Caldwell’s interest in music.

“Brandon and I go way back,” Erdahl said. “I think he’s doing a wonderful job. The store looks really good, and I know these guys are really dedicated to taking care of the community.”

Erdahl taught Caldwell to play guitar, and the two worked on repairing guitars together.

“We thought this would be a great place for Brandon, and I love customer service,” Caldwell-Cruickshank said. “It’s all about him and his focus on learning the art of being a business so he can be self-sufficient. My goal is to set him free.”

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